Nature provided our fireworks display, in the form of brilliant autumn colours on a bright sunny morning. Our hares promised us a 4 mile trail, and since we were back after 72 minutes this seems a good estimate; they also asked us to treat courteously the kindly cows, but these creatures remained out of sight. When we crossed the railway bridge for the first time (we returned by the same bridge) Fetherlite said that Barnes trails from Ashtead tended to use that route; this bridge was more or less the only height we had to scale.

  Ashtead Common is uncommonly flat. We were also promised shiggy, though not too deep, and indeed shiggy we found.

  The solving of checks was largely done by Kelinchi, with Pepper now fully recovered from being attacked; well, at least till Atalanta caught us up, at 11.45. [Ed: What? Pepper regressed?!]  Chunderos remained with the front runners throughout:, and One In The Eye was often there or thereabouts: Surrey can boast of its athletic females.

  It was apparent early on that this would be a right hander, though Sir Ray expressed himself unconvinced by my saying so. The trail did at times zig-zag, going north again when we expected to be heading south, with CL expressing surprise, but good trails should not be obvious. This variety was a plus. The Common has few clear spaces, and so few views, but the trees were doubtless why the hares had taken us there today, to enjoy their foliage.

 This is a central and accessible venue, so we had a very good turnout, including Ratty and Red Eye, with Flash Gordon making a rare come-back, and a lady quite new to hashing.  (Ed: Miss Razzle?]  Teddy Bear elected to park on the road where we started and finished, and that is where we found him on both occasions.

  Our GM had family business to sort out: Hans der Schwanz was with us, but humbly declined to take her place, filled today by Speedy Humper, who made a point of celebrating the presence of Clever Trevor and Terminator.

 I am continually impressed by the fidelity of our non-runners (yes, Lord Raleigh and ‘Ardon Provocateur were both with us).  Belcher as stand-in RA made a point of punishing Hash Flash for last week’s 7 mile wet trail when “about 4 miles” had been promised.  So today made up for that.

  Governments pass laws which they hope will encourage people to vote for them. You may find this harmless enough, though unguarded comments can be revealing: Cameron discouraged Clegg from legislation which would benefit chiefly those who vote Labour. But what about people who do not vote at all? In recent years some 60 to 68% have voted in general elections, which means those not voting more or less equal those voting Conservative or Labour, and the major parties act accordingly; there is virtually no focus on the poorest in our society, those who cannot buy enough to eat, or pay their rent, or their energy bills.

  Poverty in itself need not mean misery. I have spent 11 years working in the tropics (Tanzania, Ghana, Sri Lanka) and know that people can be cheerful and relaxed on very humble incomes, partly because it is warm, but also because those around them are in the same boat, and there are extensive networks of family, friends, and neighbours to support them. In Europe and the States this is quite different, and the gap is bitterly resented. Our poor are alone and unheeded: 4 million people in the UK are destitute, but receive no political attention.

  On On, FRB